An overhead conveyor system is a piece of industrial equipment that carries items along a contained track suspended above the user. The objects transported by the system hang from a chain, which is guided through the track by a motor, using greater or lesser power for specific applications.

Much like traditional conveyor belts, overhead conveyor systems provide the foundations of an assembly line. Used in most major industries, they can be designed for nearly any material handling application, from packaging foods to wet spray painting. These systems offer the most efficient method of moving products through the factory or warehouse, help users optimize the limited space available in a facility, and streamline industrial fulfillment processes.

Why Choose an Overhead Conveyor?

Expedited Order FulfillmentAutomated equipment stationed along the conveyor system’s path can perform essential tasks as a product travels through the factory. In effect, what enters the factory as a set of raw materials can be a finished product ready for distribution once it reaches the end of the overhead conveyor.

Optimized Inventory ManagementFrom creating storage space on the ground to handling goods at every stage of the manufacturing process, overhead conveyor systems make it easier to track materials throughout the facility.

Maximized Floor SpaceBy eliminating the need for a large conveyor belt, an overhead conveyor system enables your employees and the materials they handle to move more freely throughout your facility, providing you with the space needed to handle other critical functions.

Overhead Conveyor Types at Richards-Wilcox

As the originator of the overhead enclosed track conveyor, Richards-Wilcox has supplied manufacturers with durable and cost-effective conveyor systems for more than a century. Today, we remain a leader within American industry, offering the highest quality overhead conveyor systems available to companies in every field. Our products include:

Safe Rail®Our proven monorail conveyor system is still the most effective solution to hand-push transport. Compatible with our other overhead conveyors, it begins boosting productivity immediately upon installation.

Zig-Zag®Designed with productivity and versatility in mind, our Zig-Zag system can be configured for a range of industrial applications, including progressive assembly, tote handling, and die cast rack storage

Inverted Zig-Zag Inverted Zig-Zag has an inverted track design for clean room applications and eliminates the need for drop pans or sanitary hooks.

Twin-Trak ® Power & FreeFeaturing side-by-side tracks for Power & Free applications. Twin-Trak enables medium and high-capacity manufacturers to take complete advantage of limited overhead space while benefitting from an agile control system and high weight capacity.

OveR-Way™ Power & Free Heavy Duty Over and UnderThe ideal conveyor for fast-track projects, OveR-Way Heavy Duty Over and Under is a continuously operating system that transports materials with speed and precision. For applications that require accumulation and/or for diverting.

OveR-Way™ Power & Free Inverted Floor Mounted ConveyorRichards-Wilcox Floor Mounted OveR-Way system offers the same quick turnarounds as its Heavy Duty Over and Under counterpart with the flexibility needed to work with robots or automated machinery. For applications that require accumulation and/or for diverting.